[Skyhawke]

When a creator leaves a book, why do you (or persons you know) decide that is time to drop the book? Doesn't the strength of the character built up by the creator compel you to keep buying the book? Do any of you at least give the new creative team a shot before drop the book from your monthly pull list? Why is it now we seem more fickle as adults but when we were younger we got 'X' book no matter what because we loved 'X' character or 'X' team?

Jeff Katz will also be leaving Booster Gold following #1,000,000, which is also Geoff Johns last issue as well. Now I am concern because the new creative team hasn't been announced yet so will the strength of character be continued with the new team? I dropped Teen Titans a couple issues after Geoff left after it was clear to me that I didn't like Sean McKeever direction with the book. I felt the same way when Keith Giffen left Blue Beetle, but John Rogers stayed and the book only got better. But now John Rogers is moving on after #25.

[matchkitjohn]

You need to see the Iron Fist creator team thread. I am dropping Immortal Iron Fist after that change. I dropped the FF after McDuffie and Pelletier left. i find myself to be very creator driven now.

[clever_username]

I try to stay on for at least an issue or two. But sometimes I see a creative shift as a chance to adjust my budget. I either wait for the trade and buy it if I really like the character. Or I just wait for the library to get it. That's why I'll drop Iron Fist once Brubaker and Fraction leave.

[Greg]

If I did not like the character to begin with and the only reason I was reading the book was because of the creative team, I would drop the book. But that doesn't happen to often. Most of the time if I drop a book it's because of the almighty dollar.

[Nigmatic]

I think this is an indication of how the industry has evolved.

The early nineties had people following artists around like lap dogs, and when the novelty of that wore off, writers took up the yoke.

I think creators are a much larger part of the draw to a book these days than they used to be.

I couldn't even tell you who my favorite characters are anymore...but I can tell you my top 5 writers. I could probably even give you my top 5 artists, and I am not necessarily into comics for the art.

[zack kruse]

There are an exceedingly small number of books that I buy solely because of the character. Those are Daredevil, Batman, and Detective.

Virtually everything else is creator driven, but that is not an absolute rule. For example, I love the Flash. I was on the book for a while and stayed on the book after Johns left and did not drop it until issue #238, which just came out.

I almost always give a new creative team a chance before I decide to drop a title though. Lots of times I read something from the new creative team, like it, and then picking up other stuff by those artists.

This post has been edited by zack kruse: 07 April 2008 - 05:55 PM

[tzitto]

I also am very creator driven, I used to always give the "new team" a shot, but after too many dissapointments and wasted money there are very few titles I will buy no matter what. I am really enjoying Iron Fist, so I will keep it for a while but thoes dudes have some very large shoes to fill. Also there are a certain number of creators(Strazynski) who I will always steer clear of no matter what.

[Apreche]

Well, I wait for trades, so I don't really have the pick-up/drop mentality. Also, most of the books I read don't ever change creators. Manga series never change creators. Most indy books don't change creators either. I like books that are one solid story with beginning, middle, and end. When you have a work like that, you don't change creators part-way. That would be like if Picasso got tired after painting half of a picture, and Van Gogh finished it off. It's only the ongoing forever books where creator changing is a problem.

As such, the only time I have ever had a creator change on a book I was reading is Runaways. I love BKV, but I have never enjoyed a Joss Whedon TV show. I had, however, never read a Whedon comic. I also really liked Runaways. What did I do? I bought the first issue of the Whedon run as a sampler to see if I would get the next digest. Now I'm still waiting for that digest.

[torchsong]

I almost never* buy a book for the creator. As long as the characters are kept interesting and the artwork doesn't look like it's being drawn by a third-grader, I'm in. I kept right on reading Shadowpact after Willingham left because I loved these characters and enjoyed the hell out of how they were written and drawn by the new team. The loss of any one creative team doesn't lessen my enthusiasm for a title...it's when the new team fails to continue to entertain me that I tend to drop a book.

When I was kid I never cared who was drawing a book...only that the book featured one of my favorite characters. I'm kind of happy that's carried on in my life as I begrudgingly approach 40.

*Alan Davis, Keith Giffen excepted

[chrisw]

I usually give the new creative team a chance, because you never know what might happen. Every great creator has to start somewhere. Look at Geoff Johns following Mark Waid on Flash. I'll bet at the time lots of readers dropped that title, cheating themselves out of what I think was a great run.

[turborip]

It totally depends on what the following creative team does on a book and whether it's the same direction I want to go in. Using the various Justice League incarnations of the past twenty years, I followed the Giffin/DeMatteiss run all the way through the Breakdowns mess, beacuse i really enjoyed the Bwhahaha era. When it went more formulaic (issue 61-ish) I dropped it. When JLA started up by Grant Morrison, I loved it and followed it completely and I thought Mark Waid picked it up nicely (in fact, some of his stories were superior to Morrison's) but when Joe Kelly came on board, I dropped it soon into the Obsidian Age, though I tried going back and reading some of the storylines later. Ugh!

With the new Justice League of America series, I've been (loosely) enjoying every arc in the run, regardless of who has done it. The problems that book has are more editorial wise, I think.

[Wood]

I won't drop a book because a favorite writer or artist leaves; not without giving the new team a chance to keep my business. There are a few artists and writers that I dislike immensely and, as a result, I may drop a book if I know they're taking over as an ongoing; but those are few and far between.

[WetRats]

I will often pick up a book because of a favorite creator.

When a team leaves a book, I usually give the replacements a chance, unless I already know and dislike their work.

The Legion of Superheroes is the only series I pick up no matter who's on it.




(Please God, never let Marc Millar or Greg "Polaroid" Land anywhere near the Legion!)

[RedRight88]

As such, the only time I have ever had a creator change on a book I was reading is Runaways. I love BKV, but I have never enjoyed a Joss Whedon TV show. I had, however, never read a Whedon comic. I also really liked Runaways. What did I do? I bought the first issue of the Whedon run as a sampler to see if I would get the next digest. Now I'm still waiting for that digest.

Trust me, you're not missing much

[Mothman]

When a creator leaves a book, why do you (or persons you know) decide that is time to drop the book? Doesn't the strength of the character built up by the creator compel you to keep buying the book? Do any of you at least give the new creative team a shot before drop the book from your monthly pull list?

I usually give the new creative team a shot but if I really dislike the art, I might drop the book. It depends on my investment in the story and character(s).

Jim

[ctowner1]

As a general rule I go by creators, but on characters I like, I'm a little more lenient. i.e. if it's a character I hate, I'll still buy the book if I love the creators. If it's a character I love, I might still buy the book, even if I only like, but don't love the creators.

If I HATE the creators, I don't care what the character, I won't buy the book, with the sole exception of continuing a long run (ex. if I have ever single issue for the past 30 years, I'll stay with the book), or if it's just a fill in issue or 2 (ex. I have the first 50 issues of the book, and there's a 3 part fillin story, I'll probably pick it up even if I don't really care for the creators).

e
L nny

[Frank Castle]

I more often than not drop a book because the creators. The exception is of course my name sake. But I wouldn't collect half the books I do if I didn't like the artist or writer on the book.

Example, Iron Fist will get dropped because Fraction and Bru are leaving. I'm not totally sold on Duane's work and the character doesn't do enough to make me want to stick around.

[Jon Carroll]

I don't drop due to creator, I might start because a new creator has started. I do agree with Torchsong though, I buy for the character, but I dropped Flash due to the art just being horrible and am dropping Supergirl because its stories have stunk since the begining.

[torchsong]

I don't drop due to creator, I might start because a new creator has started. I do agree with Torchsong though, I buy for the character, but I dropped Flash due to the art just being horrible and am dropping Supergirl because its stories have stunk since the begining.

I hear you there. I've been collecting SG since the 70's but I seem to be in a constant state of denial about this book. I do like the current artist on the series, though.